'Logic Would Say Keep It Open': Use Of DuPage River In Question

PLAINFIELD, IL — At the start of the coronavirus pandemic, when most Illinoisians were shuttered in their homes and public businesses were closed, two Plainfield residents opened a business to allow people to relax and enjoy nature while tubing on the DuPage River.

Now, about a year later, Plainfield River Tubing is caught in the crossfire of complaints from some Plainfield residents who own property right off the river.

Complaints filed by homeowners along the river obtained by Patch show frustrations with people who exit their tubes to swim in water that's technically private property, since some property lines extend into the water. Some complaints cite Plainfield River Tubing customers, and others mention an increase in garbage in the river.

William Sima, a lifelong Plainfield resident, has been vocal online about filing complaints. While he said the issues are nothing new, they've become heightened this past year with the pandemic influencing more people to get outside. The issues, he told Patch, involve "floaters" — as those who float down the river in inflatable boats and tubes are known — trespassing on private property, consuming alcohol on the river and not always picking up their trash.

He said floaters trespass when they get out of their floats to either swim in parts of the river that belong to homeowners or even walk onto private land. Although he said they sign agreements saying they won't do this, they don't always listen.

"I'm getting threats because people think I'm trying to shut down the river," said Sima, who told Patch multiple times that's not his goal. "We own private riverbed, and there are laws in place in Illinois that state we have our right to use it, to deny the public's use, and so that's why we're questioning [companies profiting off the river]."

His family — which owns the land — isn't looking to be compensated by Plainfield River Tubing, Sima said, despite rumors claiming that was the case. He said they want the village to stop "turning a blind eye" to the problems and hold people who use the river accountable.

"I understand there are a lot of other issues in Plainfield that have to be addressed too, but this has been going on too long to be ignored," Sima said.

Scott and Kris Most, Plainfield residents for more than a decade, opened Plainfield River Tubing during the pandemic as a way to not only make it easier to float on the DuPage River but also to offer people a way to enjoy nature while socially distant.

They said they went through all the proper channels, including the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, the village of Plainfield and the park district, to make sure they're legally allowed to operate on the river.

Officials at the park district declined to comment on the situation with the tubing company.

While there seems to be confusion floating among residents of Plainfield about the DuPage River, representatives from IDNR confirmed with Patch that the river is a private body of water and as such, "members of the public do not have a right to utilize the river for recreation."

Rachel Torbert, deputy director at IDNR, said at this time, the DuPage River is not under consideration to be designated a public body of water.

Plainfield River Tubing first opened 4th of July weekend in 2020. Along with offering tube and paddle rentals, floaters are driven to the start point for their roughly 2.5-hour float down the river. Once at the end, floaters end up back where their cars are parked.

"All we wanted to do was make for a hassle-free way for people to float and enjoy the river," Scott said. "We never thought something like this would be happening. We thought we went through all the proper procedures, which we did everything that was required to start our company. From our reviews from our customers, people are liking the service."

Earlier this month, Scott penned a couple of posts on Patch. One detailed the possibility of the DuPage River being made public due to some complaints, and the other — since deleted — addressed rumors that called the tubing company unlawful.

"Based on complaints from a landowner regarding public use of the river, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) is in the process of determining whether the DuPage River is public or private and, if designated private, could mean the public no longer has access," the July 7 post says.

Kris and Scott said they've been in contact with officials at IDNR and most recently heard back from them about two weeks ago. Scott said until they know what IDNR decides to do about the river, it's business as usual for Plainfield River Tubing.

But they've both been vocal about their concerns.

"That's what our frustration is. ... We went through all the proper channels," Scott said. "We're like, 'What the heck is going on here.' Now we're being publicly defamed."

When asked about the recent issues, the Plainfield Park District said in a statement it has taken steps to "address the concerns regarding DuPage River usage by the public as we have become aware of them."

"The Park District has recently installed signage illustrating proper river usage and has increased refuse collection at all of the District’s finished and unfinished river access locations," the statement said.

Officials said they would not comment on the river’s recreational status — for the public, Plainfield River Tubing or fishing charters that operate on the river — "until we get further direction from IDNR."

The issue had been bubbling among residents for some time, as Plainfield Mayor John Argoudelis put it, and it seems the tubing company was the straw that broke the camel's back.

Argoudelis said he’s "very well aware" of the issue and is working to first dissect the laws around the private property ownership on the river and find out who’s legally in the right to use the river.

"I don't want to see river tubing shut down and at the same time make sure we’re respecting people’s property rights," Argoudelis said. "It’s unfortunate it’s become such a big issue."

To rally support around maintaining access to the DuPage River for the public, Ralph Osuch — a Plainfield resident of 21 years and an avid outdoorsman — started a Change.org petition. It had already garnered more than 1,500 signatures a day after it went live. Now, almost a week later, it's sitting at more than 5,700 signatures.

"Logic would say keep it open," Osuch told Patch. "Are you going to upset five people or everyone else?"

Osuch and Scott echoed each other when saying general recreational activities on the DuPage River increased due to COVID-19 lockdowns keeping people cooped up in their homes.

"I get what COVID has done to the river; it’s kind of given people an outlet," Osuch said. "Because of that, which is a good thing, to someone on the river who doesn’t want to see that, [it] might be a bad thing."